New Year's Celebration Weekend - Kirtan, Yoga, Ceremony & Conscious Dance

We are so excited to be gathering for a very special New Year’s Celebration weekend of kirtan, yoga, ceremony, conscious dance and deep connection to country at the beautiful Hunter Valley Retreat Centre.This will be a powerful and soulful way to release 2022 and call in our dreams and visions for 2023 and also offer our collective prayer to the land and wellbeing of all.

We have a beautiful program dedicated to this year’s theme of “Celebrating connection to Country, Self, Community and Spirit!” A wonderful team of facilitators will be weaving a journey to support connection on all of these levels.

PLEASE VISIT our FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE for more information, photos and UPDATES on the weekend:  https://www.facebook.com/event...

* Michelle Lewis (Aunty Babanginy - indigenous elder, visionary, Numagi Dreaming) will welcome us to country and be our guide on the land opening us to the powerful medicine of nature which will be our foundation throughout the weekend.https://express.adobe.com/page/4OBJ59wh9YrI7/... 

* Sound Samadhi and friends will be sharing kirtan and sound healing on New Year’s Eve which will uplift and expand our consciousness and connection to our hearts and each other. www.facebook.com/soundsamadhi

* Geeti & Gyan will lead a Vedic purification ceremony that will support the release of 2022 and call in our dreams and visions of 2023. They will also offer mantra, movement meditation, yoga nidra sound healing and heart songs to support heart opening, healing, joy and deep connection. www.geetiandgyan.com 

* Michelle Mahrer will be offering a New Year’s Day 5 Rhythms conscious dance journey that will be bring us into fully embodied connection to our dreams and visions for 2022. https://michellemahrerdance.com

The weekend will include:

• DAILY HATHA YOGA CLASSES with a variety of teachers. 
• CONNECTION to Country walks & ceremony with Aunty Babanginy (1 or 2 sessions)
• New Years Eve HAVAN - fire ceremony 
• New Years eve KIRTAN with Sound Samadhi & friends 
• New Years Day CONSCIOUS DANCE with Michelle Mahrer and live music 
• YOGA NIDRA & SOUND HEALING with Geeti and Gyan 
• An evening of HEART SONGS with Geeti & Gyan 
• FREE TIME to relax, connect with land and each other
• Option to book a MASSAGE (payment to made directly with the practitioner) 
• Activities for children 
• 9 delicious and nourishing vegetarian meals with vegan options 
• 3 nights accommodation with single or twin / double options
• Volunteer opportunities
• Some other surprises! 

We feel this weekend will be a very special weaving of different communities, creating many new beautiful connections and enriching those already established. We are so looking forward to coming together to uplift one another and the Earth as we celebrate and deepen our connection to country, ourselves, community and spirit!

TICKETS

All tickets include meals + accommodation + program unless otherwise stated:

Bring a friend - 2 tickets special (twin share / double) = $1022 each 

2nd Release (3 days + nights) - Twin Share / Double (per person) = $1097

2nd Release (3 days + nights) - Single Room = $1327

Volunteers (3 days + nights) - Twin Share = $747 (Max. 18 places available)

Volunteer work comprises being part of the catering team - meal set up, serving and clean up. One shift of breakfast, lunch or dinner per day - up to 3 hours per day (up to 9 hours total over 3 days). A volunteers co-ordinator will manage the roster. Full participation in the program at all other times for the full 3 days is included. For more information contact: newyearsconnect@gmail.com

2 Days + Nights (twin share / double per person) = $747
2 Days + Nights (single room) = $902
1 Day + Night (twin share / double per person) = $377
1 Day + Night (single) = $455
Saturday all day ticket (no meals) = $155
Saturday all day ticket (with dinner) = $195
Sunday all day ticket (no meals) = $130
Sunday all day ticket (with dinner) = $170
New Year's Eve evening only (dinner, havan + kirtan) = $127
New Year's Eve evening only (dinner, havan + kirtan - kids under 10) = $67

New Year's Eve evening only (havan + kirtan only) = $87

For all family options, please email Patricia at: newyearsconnect@gmail.com

Include your phone number in the email and Patricia will ring you back.

MEALS

ALL meals for the weekend will be GLUTEN FREE, VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN and will be lovingly catered by Sarah and Megan from Nourished Soul Sanctum. 
If you have any further dietary requirements, please let us know when booking.

PAYMENT OPTIONS +  ENQUIRIES

Please find Humanitix link below. A 2.5% + 50 cents booking fee applies.

There is an option to pay in instalments via Zip Pay. You would need to sign up for a free account with them, and be aware of their conditions for use. https://zip.co/au

If you would prefer to make a direct bank transfer please send your request by email to our booking manager Patricia at newyearsconnect@gmail.com and she will assist you in making your booking and payment.

For more information on KIDS and FAMILY prices and accommodation options please email our booking manager: Patricia newyearsconnect@gmail.com with your question and your phone number and she will be in contact with you.

If you wish to share a twin / double room with someone, please state their full name and email during the booking process.

More info about the Hunter Valley Retreat centre: http://huntervalleyretreat.com...

 DRAFT SCHEDULE - subject to change

FRI 30 DEC 

2pm- 3pm Registration & Orientation (or come when you can Friday afternoon / evening!)

4 - 5 pm           Yoga
5.30 - 7.00 pm Dinner
7.15 - 9 pm Welcome to country and to all.
Smoking ceremony and preparations for the weekend with ritual, sound and song.

SATURDAY 31 DEC

Early Bird yoga
Breakfast
Connection to country 1 - Experience on the land with Aunty B & friends
Free time
Lunch
Sound and movement meditation with yoga Nidra (Geeti and Gyan)
Free time + Tea
Small group only - Connection to country 2 - (Aunty B)
5.30 - 7 pm Dinner
7.15 - 8.15 Havan fire ceremony
8.30 - 12.30 KIRTAN with Sound Samadhi and friends inc. chai + prasad break + Happy New Year dedication to all beings

SUNDAY 1 JAN

Small group - Connection to country 3 (Aunty B)
Yoga
Breakfast
New Year Dance meditation With Michelle Mahrer + live music
Lunch
Yoga Nidra and sound healing (Geeti & Gyan)
Small group - Connection to country 4 (Aunty B)
Free time
Dinner
Heart Songs & Kirtan (Geeti & Gyan and friends)

MONDAY 2 JAN

Small group - Connection to country 5 (Aunty B)
Yoga
Breakfast
Movement and Sound Meditation
CLOSING CIRCLE
1 - 2pm Lunch
3 pm Departure

ABOUT THE FACILITATORS

Aunty Babanginy (aka Michelle Lewis) 

Indigenous Elder, Lore woman, Visionary, Philanthropist, Custodian and Founder of Numagi Conscious Community - NSW. Affectionately known as Aunty B, she has been working in the Consciousness field and particularly Energetics, for nearly three decades, with a passion for leadership in business and community, connection through nature and self realisation through direct experience of Source (Wholeness). 

Anyone who has worked with Babanginy knows her to be down to earth, practical and lovingly direct. Babanginy, (meaning lightning in Nyoongar,) was gifted to her by her Elders for her ability to be powerful, illuminating and to the point with her wisdom, presence and guidance.Currently, she is the custodian of Numagi, a parcel of sacred land on Wonnarua Country, Bow Wow Creek in the Hunter Valley region of Australia. With amazing sacred land and 200 acres, including protected bush land, a retreat and residences, it has called her to steward the transition to a conscious community for humanity excellence, health and well-being and respite through the simplicity of being in nature.Walking with Numagi Dreaming - a transformation walk with the ancestors, with a direct experience of the Spirit of the Land, the Magic of Nature, through bush tucker and medicine lore, discovering a true reflection of self within nature. Deeply listening. Seeing Life through new vision. https://express.adobe.com/page/4OBJ59wh9YrI7/...

Geeti and Gyan

Geeti & Gyan are conscious music & movement facilitators who together offer an unique & soulful blend of kirtan, sacred song, conscious dance, yoga & sound healing to open the heart.Their passion is to help people connect, transform & find unity with themselves, each other & the universe through music, mantra & movement.


They are both kirtanists, qualified sound healers, and nada yoga teachers. Gyan is also a hatha yoga & meditation teacher and singer-songwriter, and Geeti is a Soul Motion conscious dance & Kiryuho movement facilitator.They fuse the traditional with the contemporary, playing a variety of instruments including harmonium, guitar, piano, cajon, hand pans, harmonicas, sitar, tabla, manjira, flute, crystal & Tibetan bowls. 

They are excited to be currently embarking on a recording project so that they can realise their dream of sharing their music more widely. Their open & joyful hearts shine through their facilitation & music, allowing people to let go & surrender to uninhibited expression, & be filled with deep nourishment.Their vision is to provide a safe, sustainable, unconditionally loving space which brings community together in harmony and unity. www.geetiandgyan.com

Sound Samadhi

Sound Samadhi was formed back in 2011 as a group of kirtan and Bhakti loving souls offering regular Kirtan on the northern beaches. They have continued this tradition on the last last night of the month, of sharing their love of mantra, music and meditation from various spiritual traditions with an intention to cultivate an inclusive community. Currently the members include Geeti & Gyan, Garry Luke and Jiva Berry and are joined from time to time by special guests. 

Over many years they have been offering new year's kirtan and so are delighted to be able to be part of this special Hunter Valley new year gathering.‘Samadhi’ is the supreme state of liberation or bliss, which is the ultimate goal of all yoga. Kirtan is an ancient yogic practice, combining mantra, music, meditation & the heart, which can offer us a taste of this Samadhi through sound.‘Kirtan’ is a sacred spiritual singing practice for the upliftment of everyone, regardless of caste, creed, worldly status or religious inclination. 

Kirtan is the practice of transforming emotion through devotion, channelling our energy effortlessly upwards through mantra & sound, literally raising our vibration.You don’t need any prior experience to take part. This is your personal connection to the peace within you through your unique voice & heart, carried by the collective energy of the group & music. www.facebook.com/soundsamadhi
Insta: soundsamadhi_kirtan
www.geetiandgyan.com/sound-samadhi-1

Michelle Mahrer

Michelle Mahrer is an embodiment mentor, 5Rhythms dance teacher, dance therapist and an award winning film maker based in Sydney. She is one of the pioneers of Conscious Dance in Australia and the director of Radiance Dance 5Rhythms a vibrant dance community in Sydney which has been running for 13 years. She is passionate about the healing and transformative power of dance and has been leading dance classes and workshops in Sydney, Melbourne & internationally for the past 20 years. She has made numerous films about dance including all of Gabrielle Roth's teaching videos and "Dances of Ecstasy," a sensory journey into the world of trance and ecstasy experienced through dance and rhythm. www.radiancedance5rhythms.com

CANCELLATION POLICY:
Any cancellation made up to 30 NOV 2022  will result in a refund less $100 administration fee. 
Any cancellation made between 1 Dec 2022  and 16 Dec 2022 will be refunded   50% of the total retreat price.
Cancellations made after the 16 Dec 2022 or no shows will result in a total loss of funds. 
We reserve the right to  cancel the event if it is not meeting the minimum numbers to run it to cover costs. If we do cancel the retreat, your money will be refunded in full. 
If you wish to cancel your reservation, it must be done in writing or via email and the cancellation will be effective as of the date that we receive it. 
Please email booking manager Patricia at:  newyearsconnect@gmail.com